this is "world news." tonight, boiling point. a brand new alert about the melting ice at the north pole. and, also tonight, america in search of something that is missing. what has happened to all the snow? new hope. a change in the use of a breast cancer drug could make a big difference for some of the thousands of people fighting the disease. made in america. we take you to the mall of america, and a brand new store you, the viewers, helped build. >> are we the first customers? and, who is this? do you believe she's the queen of england? >> kate, my darling, are you there? >> the prank call rocking the royal family as other powerful people around the globe are getting punked.

good evening. we begin with another big bulletin about the record-breaking heat and the melting at the north pole. a new study shows a global thaw under way, affecting everyone on the planet. and it comes today as we learn how little snow there is here in the united states. as the temperatures here keep rising and the records keep falling. abc abc's meteorologist ginger zee tells us what's going on. >> reporter: nearly snowless in december. right now, only 7% of the united states is covered in snow. that's even less than this time last year, when 32% of the nation was laced in winter white. not enough snow means no skiing. yet. this resort in washington state has had to wait. >> impatiently. to get our show on the road here. >> reporter: less snow helped make it even warmer this past week.

almost 700 record high temperatures have been set in the past five days. all of that will contribute to 2012 likely becoming the warmest on record in the lower 48. while one week or one season can not tell a climate story, a longer range report card was released by noaa today. the subject ? the arctic, where records were broken this year. in 2012, there was less snow -- and more sea ice melting -- than they've ever measured before. satellites started measuring arctic ice in 1979. since then, half has disappeared. and just this year, 4.5 million square miles melted away, an area the size of the u.s. and mexico, combined. >> melting is a big concern, because that moving water that's currently thawed into the ice, moving it into the ocean. if that continues, that's going to have an impact on people that live in coastal regions. >> reporter: sea levels rising means even more after a storm

like sandy. and we learned today that the white house is requesting $50 billion to cover the damage from that epic storm but the states involved say that isn't going to be enough. >> these bulletins just keep coming. >> reporter: right. and they keep finding these reports and records. they will. we started records in 1979 in sea ice melt. they will keep changing. and the man i talked to, he anticipates more. >> thank you so much, ginger. now, we turn to the news that a lot of ordinary americans have been put on notice, as we approach that fiscal cliff, just 27 days away. people already having trouble finding a job are receiving a letter of warning about something to happen to them if congress can't make a deal. and abc's jonathan karl has that. >> reporter: melinda vega has been put on notice. if congress and the president don't get their act together, her unemployment checks will stop immediately at the end of the year. >> we're dependent on that money to pay our bills. >> reporter: she's been without a job for a year.

her $450 a week unemployment check, her lifeline. >> we won't be able to pay some of our bills and, i mean, you know, that's for christmas and things of that nature, probably off the table. >> reporter: she's not alone. without a deal, unemployment compensation will end for more than 2 million people who've been out of work for more than 26 weeks. many of the unemployed started receiving the news this week from pre-recorded phone calls, like this one in washington state. >> emergency unemployment compensation shuts off at the end of december unless congress votes to extend the program. >> reporter: and, of course, going off the so-called fiscal cliff means a tax hike for just about everybody who does have a job. but today, treasury secretary timothy geithner said the president is absolutely willing to go off the cliff unless republicans agree toto raise ta rates. >> there's no prospect for an agreement that doesn't involve those rates going up on the top 2% of the wealthiest americans. >> reporter: and on that, no progress.

>> where are the specifics? nothing is going on. >> reporter: there have been no rey talks between the white house and republicans for a week. but late today, diane, one possible sign of progress. the president and the speaker of the house spoke via telephone. neither side would give any details about what was said, but the stock market closed higher today with traders, at least, apparently optimistic that a deal will be reached. >> one phone call can do that. okay, thank you, jonathan karl. now, we head overseas to cairo. another day of bloodshed and chaos there. battles erupting in the streets. look there, outside the presidential palace. between those two support egyptian president morsi and those who want him to go. both sides using fire bombs, rocks, even sticks as weapons. and more than 120 people were wounded. and now, we move onto the other big headline. the millimeters of americans battling breast cancer, getting this news. a new study saying a popular drug used to keep the disease from coming back should be taken

twice as long for even better results. and the news has a lot of doctors saying they're going to change how they treat some of their patients. and abc's chief medical editor dr. richard besser here to tell us about it. we know about this drug, but a chase change in the way you use it. >> reporter: that's right. this is really big news for hundreds of thousands of women who have breast cancer that is hormone receptor positive. the study looked at the drug, which is a hormone blocker. they gave some women this drug for five years and some women this drug for ten years and then followed them for a ten-year period. women on the drug for five years, 25% of them had a recurrence. ten years, it dropped down to 21%. very similar numbers, reduction, if you look at breast cancer deaths. 15%, for those on for five years. down to 12% for those who were on it for ten years. >> to the layperson, we say, oh, we want better numbers, that doesn't seem like a huge change. >> reporter: the numbers don't look big, but across the population, that's thousands of lives. what it sails to cancer

researchers is, we might be onto something. this might be what we're looking for. >> side effects from the drug? >> reporter: you have to look at that. the serious side effects are rare. blood clots and uterine cancer. the common side effects, this drug can bring on symptoms that are very much line men know pause. it can cause hot flashes, fatigue. i think today's study may get women to reconsider this drug. and what it says, is hormone therapy may work if you give it longer. >> give it longer time. and as you said, clinging to anything that says we're onto something. >> reporter: that's right. >> thank you so much, rich. now, we turn to our consumer watchdog. the government sounding the alarment tonight about something that affects millions of older americans. you may have seen commercials calling for a reverse mortgage. but tonight, abc news has learned there's growing concern and the government may be ready to take as. here's abc's senior national correspondent jim avila. >> it was -- this was our dream. >> reporter: the family home,

dream and nest egg for wisconsin's linda and jim mcmahon. until it had to be sold out from under linda to pay back a reverse mortgage as soon as her husband died. >> i get a letter, sorry to hear about your husband passing away. buy the house or move out. >> reporter: reverse mortgages give homeowners an immediate cash payment in exchange for future equity. allowing them to stay in the house until death. but only people 62 and older quali qualify. linda was too young to be on the mortgage, so, when her older husband died, she lost everything. it's only one danger inherent in the reverse mortgage. >> hi, i'm fred thompson. >> hi, i'm henry winniklewinkle. >> reporter: critics say the commercials prey on vulnerable seniors. and today, the government is warning that reverse mortgages are not free money. >> turn their equity into tax free cash. >> give you tax free cash. >> they are not being told about the down side. >> reporter: right now in america, 57,000 seniors in reverse mortgages are in danger of losing their home.

a nearly 10% foreclosure rate, four times higher than traditional mortgages. tomorrow, the department of housing and urban development will recommend congress prohibit large lump sum payments. and recommend seniors be very careful with reverse mortgages. is a reverse mortgage the last option? >> i really think it should be. absolutely. >> reporter: an option -- >> wonderful house. >> reporter: -- linda mcmahon regrets taking. >> i hope somebody will enjoy it. >> reporter: jim avila, abc news, washington. now, our made in america team is back in action, because 40% of retail sales take place between thanksgiving and christmas. and, the more items we buy made in america, the more american jobs we can create together. and there's proof tonight. one of your ideas led abc's david muir to the iconic mall of america, where it turns out, you, our viewers, can see what you've done. >> reporter: the ideas pouring in from the you videoers. fa families looking for their one thing.

if we spend $64 on anything made in america, we can create 200,000 jobs. tonight, as diane mentioned, proof of that power, as we track one of your ideas that we first reported on a year ago. have viewers made a difference? we traveled to the iconic mall of america. minneapol minneapolis, minnesota. inside, santa taking those requests. david muir with world news, how are you? >> oh, good. how are you? >> reporter: just curious. those kids sitting on santa's lap, how much of what they're asking for is made in america? >> oh, oh, i guess -- i guess -- i guess -- >> reporter: even the elf stumped, telling us he can't answer those kinds of questions. the famous rides in the mall and mom kim, bringing her daughter all the way from baltimore. came all the way to the mall of america -- >> to shop. >> reporter: how much do you think was made in america? >> in here? >> reporter: but if you look closely enough, we guarantee you'll find made in america. so many "world news" viewers e-mailing diane a year ago about one simple item. a tervis tumbler. that sign a year ago after our

first record, made in america. it turns out so many viewers placed orders, the company says it helped them build a new store, opening this week here in the biggest mall in america. are we the first customers? in fact, they opened nine stores since last christmas, nearly 100 new employees. you were not in the mall of america a year ago. >> no. >> reporter: and in the factory >> thank you, "world news"! >> reporter: which brings us to another factory where "world news" viewers are already bringing christmas cheer. closing downed but after we reporteded they were trying to open up again -- you have 80 additional people since our last report? >> yeah. >> reporter: and this week, a tour of their newest shop. i love it. you can see it right here. >> made in america, all over. >> reporter: we wanted to know about donny, who had been called back to the assembly line. tonight, they tell us he's gone from part time to full time. >> here i am. i'm back again. >> reporter: and from his coworkers -- >> thank you, "world news"! >> reporter: and in a tiny

neighborhood outside st. louis, missouri, tonight, they hope they're next. at the corner of 8th and betten, the sign. welcome, made in america. >> come on in. >> reporter: thank you. this inventor taking us into the factory, where they are making protect tv cases for your iphone. they hold your credit cards, too. her own made in america ads on youtube. water resistant. they can take a beating. when we asked her why make it in america? >> to -- it's so weird. why am i crying? >> reporter: he said similarly her father was a veteran. it's that important to you. >> yeah. >> reporter: you can do better? you're convinced of it. pitching her product to me, too. >> reporter: as you can see, her pitch worked. bought another american made product. her company, you can look it up, you can find a link on our list of made in america companies. she would spend hours in the middle of the night skyping to china, but was determined to make it here. so was tervis.

and the fairbault mill. merry christmas. i didn't wrap it. >> christmas comes early. thank you, david. and thanks to all of you, our viewers in this g to. it's great. thank you. and still ahead on "world news," the story of the millionaire mogul on the run. but tracked down tonight by our reporter.

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and now, abc news tonight is speaking to a man whose name has surfaced in a murder inquiry as he has created a worldwide frenzy. his behavior described by "the new york times" as tisometimes just bizarre. you may have heard the name mcafee. he created the anti-virus software. but tonight, he sits down in guatemala with abc's matt gutman, who wribrings you the strange encounter. >> reporter: after weeks on the lam, software security pioneer john mcafee has surfaced in guatemala. he's an internet legend. his name still pops up when many open their computers. at one point, he was worth $100 million. in 2009, he took his money and moved to tropical belize, living an excentric life style on this ocean front compound. three weeks ago, his next door neighbor turned up dead who do you think killed greg faull?

>> how should i know? >> reporter: police want him for questioning. but the 67-year-old went on the run. he and his girlfriend lived in closets. and he wore disguises. >> i had a cane. i was walking like this and i had my jaws stuffed with toilet paper. >> reporter: but his behavior in hiding quickly brought atings to him and his sanity. all the while, he kept contact with some reporters. >> if i were a madman -- >> reporter: mcafee told abc news the police want him dead. but the police say he's not even a suspect. >> right here. >> reporter: but guatemala, hoping for asylum. he says he still has money and won't rule out going back to the u.s. matt gutman, abc news, guatemala city. and coming up next here, would you leave, a dog taught to drive? and it's a stick shift. we'll tell you how and why. new prilosec otc wildberry

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to highlight the unexpected possibility in rescue dogs and promote their adoption. and here's a picture in the news. a silent night from space. look. nasa released brand new images, the continents lit up, asia and australia, africa and europe, south america and north america. the united states, a beacon of light, right there across the galaxy. and, our person tonight is dave brubeck, the man who put the urgent pulse into american jazz. he died at the age of 91, after a life of breaking through ray shall barriers and musical ones. before brubeck, this was the simple rhythm of most jazz songs. listen. ♪ but after brubeck, the famous five-four rhythm that rocked the world. here it is. ♪

dave brubeck. and we know there are people and videos that capture your imagination every day, so, tweet me your thoughts for the "instant index," @dianesawyer. and, coming up right now, we have a test for you. is this the queen of england? >> my dear, thank you so much. >> or, is this the queen of england? >> thank you for inviting me. >> do you know which one is the imposter? stay tuned. made a commitment to the gulf. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger.

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for a medicare plan? you only have 2 days left. open enrollment ends friday, december 7th. so give unitedhealthcare a call today. consider a medicare advantage plan. it can combine doctor and hospital coverage with prescription drug coverage for as low as a zero dollar monthly premium. you only have until december 7th to enroll. call unitedhealthcare today. and finally tonight, the ultimate practical joke is sweeping the globe in this modern age. people pretend to be a celebrity and get to talk to a real celebrity. it reached a new threshold today

with a caller getting information about prince william and kate, by pretending to be the queen. here's abc's david wright. >> hello? good morning, king edward vii hospital. >> hello there, can i speak to kate, please? >> reporter: a royal crank call to the bedside of a princess. >> kate, my darling, are you there? >> good morning, ma'am, this is the nurse speaking. how may i help you? >> hello, i'm just after my granddaughter, kate. i want to see how her little tummy bug is going. >> reporter: an australian dj impersonating her royal highness. >> when is a good time to come visit her? cause i'm the queen, so i need a lift down there. >> i would suggest after 9:00 would be suitable. >> reporter: that well-intentioned nurse is in good company. in the past, other dj's have managed to prank call the queen herself, and even pope john paul. a miami dj once got through trophy dell castro. >> fidel? >> si!

>> reporter: during the 2008 campaign, sarah palin got caught out by a canadian prankster impersonating the french president. >> one of my favorite activities is to hunt, too. >> oh, very good. we should go hunting together! >> reporter: in that case, as in this one, it begs the question -- was she just being polite? or was the caller really convincing? could you tell the difference? >> my dear, thank you so much. >> thank you for inviting me. >> reporter: the queen rarely uses the first person singular. one tends not to, does one not? >> i think it's difficult sleeping in a strange bed, as well. >> yes of course. it's hardly the palace, is it. >> oh, nothing like the palace is it, charles. >> reporter: nope. nothing like the palace at all. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> and thanks so much for watching. we're always here at abcnews.com. "nightline" later. and we want to say good night with a country christmas tonight, and the sounds of brooks & dunn. as we thank our affiliate, nashville's news 2. the famous gaylord opryland

hotel, glowing. nearly 2 million twinkling lights underneath a dazzling fireworks display. it took four months to put up all those lights. a wonderland was worth it. good night. ♪

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